NEED TO KNOW
Mel Owens is broaching a new layer of intimacy in this week’s episode of The Golden Bachelor.
With just one week left until the finale, it’s time for Mel, 66, to explore his connections with Peg, 62, and Cindy, 60, behind closed doors. While he still hasn’t told either of them that he is in love, he hoped to express how much he cared about each woman as he admitted, “It’s possible I can be engaged in a week.”
“I’m not going to push it,” Mel said. “I’m just gonna let it happen naturally. This is the way I am. Love is not a word I use often. It’s heavy and loaded, and it has tons of meaning, and it can be misinterpreted. I’ve only been in love one time, and we got married, and I got my heart broken. So I won’t tell someone I love them again, just to say it.”
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His first date was with Peg. The pair kicked off the day exploring the mountains of Antigua before sharing some champagne at an overlook above the ocean. While Peg said she always enjoys her time with Mel, she was doubting whether he was “emotionally available” when he continually “deflected” from her questions about his feelings.
“I want him to be vulnerable and to be open and to be honest before I go to the Fantasy Suites,” she explained.
At dinner, she decided to try to dig deeper with Mel and asked him directly how he felt about her.
“It’s almost too good to be true, honest,” he replied. “Because I love being around you, and I love the way you talk to me and what you make me feel. Of course, you’re beautiful, and I like your energy and your spirit. I really do.”
Peg ultimately accepted the overnight date in the Fantasy Suite, which both she and Mel were looking forward to. “I’m feeling so hopeful in the way she talks to me and the way she looks at me, that’s love,” he told cameras.
Disney/John Fleenor
In her own confessional, she said that she felt more assured: “I am so excited to spend the night with Mel, the feelings are definitely there. The emotions are definitely there.”
The next morning, the two lay in bed and teased about what went down when they were alone. “Don’t give away the secrets,” Mel joked. “Yeah, that’s definitely off-camera. But it was good, though.”
Peg agreed, adding that they had a “good conversation” and she saw “a different side of Mel” that highlighted how similar their lives have been.
“He makes me feel safe, he makes me feel seen, he makes me feel heard, and those are the things that definitely will deepen a connection with somebody,” she said. “This is a big step for me. It’s been a long time since I felt like this. You know, it’s been years.”
“Last night exceeded expectations,” Mel also admitted. “Waking up this morning, you could see the sunrise. It’s a perfect morning with a perfect woman.”
His next date was with Cindy and included swimming with stingrays and enjoying some time on a boat. Going into the date, however, she was nervous about the status of her relationship with Mel.
“I haven’t seen him since Hometowns, where I’ve told him that I’m falling for him,” she said. “I’ve imagined Mel getting down on one knee a million times, but I know Peg is somewhere here on the island too, and every minute that I’m not with Mel, I wonder if he’s with her. That doesn’t feel great. With overnights happening this week and another woman involved, that’s really where I’ve been hurt the deepest in my life. So it’s scary not knowing how he feels about me.”
Mel, on the other hand, thought he had a pretty clear idea of their connection: “My feelings for Cindy are strong, and every time I’m with her, my feelings grow stronger and stronger. I feel like she would be perfect for me. There’s a certain chemistry and energy with her, and I feel amazing when I’m with her.”
Disney/John Fleenor
Later that night, Cindy took the opportunity to ask Mel some important questions, including why he was so uncertain about which woman he wanted to propose to in just a few days.
“Is there something in particular that you’re like, ‘Between the two of you, this is what I’m considering’?” she asked, to which he responded, “No, no. It’s just difficult. I’ve never been in this position before, so I’m still working it out in my head and in my heart. I know the time is quickly coming to an end, but that’s the truth.”
Continuing to push back, Cindy wondered where they stood if they took Peg out of the equation, but Mel’s answer was still satisfying. “I just think that no matter what, the relationship would have to develop over time,” he explained. “There’s still moving parts, right? So who knows.”
“You don’t really have questions for me, and I’ve grappled with that more than I’ve shared with you,” Cindy revealed. “What’s holding you back? I hate to push you, because it’s unfair, but I really would like to know. Do you see a future with us? How are you feeling about us? How do you feel about me? For me, the chemistry with you is off the charts.”
Disney/John Fleenor
Mel told her, “It just takes time” for him to reach the point she wants him to be at, going on to reflect on the way his past relationships have impacted his resistance to jumping into marriage. While Cindy understood his “natural instinct” to protect himself, she wondered if his behavior was also stemming from a lack of connection with her.
“I’ve been vulnerable and I want to feel that my partner is excited to move forward with me and to share their life with me,” she said. “I just don’t know what’s holding him back.”
The episode concluded, leaving viewers wondering if Mel and Cindy would be entering the Fantasy Suite together, with Cindy posing the question: “So what do we do from here?”
“If there’s a will, there’s a way,” Mel quipped. “So that begs the question, is there a will?” Cindy replied.
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The Golden Bachelor airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.
